RCP: New project to help reduce deaths from asthma

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP), in partnership with a consortium of professional and patient bodies concerned with asthma, has commenced work on a National Review of Asthma Deaths (NRAD) across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The project has been commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP).

Every year about 1,200 people die in the United Kingdom as a result of asthma. Previous research in the past 50 years, have suggested that preventable factors can be identified in up to 90% of cases. The aim of the project, the first of its kind to cover the whole of the UK, is to understand why people of all ages die from asthma so that lessons can be learnt and recommendations can be made to help prevent deaths from asthma in the future. By engaging with health professionals and family members the project will explore the individual circumstances and care provided before death.

The project aims to review all deaths across the UK from asthma in children and adults for one year, beginning in February 2012. Hospitals and GPs will be asked to participate, and all confirmed cases of death from asthma will be included in an in-depth multidisciplinary confidential enquiry. This UK-wide review will provide evidence to influence clinical guidelines, policy and practice and in time help reduce the number of preventable asthma deaths.

While data collection will not begin until next year, the partners want to ensure the greatest possible awareness of the project before it begins to encourage participation and understanding. Health professionals are encouraged to visit the website (www.rcplondon.ac.uk/nrad) to register to receive regular updates on the project or to find out how they can become involved.

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Dr Mark L Levy. Clinical Lead for NRAD said:

‘Most asthma deaths are associated with preventable factors, and it has been shown that aspects of UK and other international asthma guidelines are not being followed in a majority of cases. Recent research showed little improvement in certain aspects of care over the last 50 years. These include underuse of life saving corticosteroids in a third of the fatal attacks; inadequate routine monitoring and follow-up by patients and health professionals in 20-30% of deaths and underuse of measurements of lung function in a fifth of fatal cases. This project offers an opportunity for patients, their families and health care providers, to raise awareness of the preventable factors associated with asthma deaths, and to take the necessary action to help reduce the number of avoidable asthma deaths in the United Kingdom.’

Notes to Editors

For further information or to arrange an interview with Dr Levy, please contact Andrew McCracken on 020 3075 1354 or andrew.mccracken@rcplondon.ac.uk.

The Royal College of Physicians
The RCP is a professional membership organisation representing the concerns of over 25,000 fellows and members worldwide. The RCP aims to ensure high quality care for patients by promoting the highest standards of medical practice. It sets standards in clinical practice and education and training, conducts assessments and examinations, quality assures external audit programmes, supports doctors in their practice of medicine, and advises the government, public and the profession on healthcare issues.

The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership
HQIP is led by a consortium of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, the Royal College of Nursing and National Voices. Its aim is to promote quality improvement, and in particular to increase the impact of clinical audit in England and Wales. HQIP hosts the contract to manage and develop the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme (NCAPOP). The programme comprises 30 clinical audits that cover care provided to people with a wide range of medical, surgical and mental health conditions

Collaborating partners:

· Asthma UK

· British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI)

· British Thoracic Society (BTS)

· College of Emergency Medicine

· Department of Respiratory Epidemiology, Nottingham

· Division of Medical & Dental Education, University of Aberdeen

· Eastern Region Confidential Enquiry of Asthma Deaths

· Guideline and Audit Implementation Network (GAIN), Northern Ireland

· Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP)

· Intensive Care Society (ICS)

· National Ambulance Service – Directors of Clinical Care (DOCCSs)